Mother’s Day Part I – Flying Treadmill Parts

Yep, you read that one right, this is a two-parter! The Husband is not one to go big on Mother’s Day or birthdays or really any holidays. He thinks cards and flowers are a waste of money. I accepted that and don’t usually get to upset by it.

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So yesterday, Mother’s Day Eve, he suggests we all go to the Commissary. I told him no that I wanted a treadmill for Mother’s Day and we should go to Sears to look at them. Remember I joined the YMCA, we’ve been two times and both times the kids got sick after being in the play area. So I have been reluctant to go back and have instead thrown away $100 paying for the membership for two months. I decided that I would rather cancel it and buy a treadmill.

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Of course the Husband thinks it will collect dust, but I promised him I would use it. I wanted to buy the cheaper $350 version. I don’t see myself running on it, just walking. But of course the Husband wants the option of running on it in case he can’t make it to the gym some day.

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As we wandered around Sears listening to the sales guy tell us all about them, we noticed a really nice looking treadmill. The tag says “original price $2499.00, clearance price $699.” So we start asking about it. It’s a really nice treadmill that’s been discontinued. The new ones are down to $1200, but the floor model is $699. So The Husband tests it out, running at 5 mph at a 12% incline (show-off, I know!) He really likes the way it feels. So I tried it out (at 0% incline and 3 mph), I agree it’s nice.

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We agree to buy it. Of course it’s the floor model so it is assembled. The thing is about 5 feet tall when the belt is folded up, so there was no way it would fit in the Mom-mobile. We call a friend to see if we can borrow their truck. They say sure and tell us they would meet us at Sears. A few minutes later, we get a call saying the truck won’t start. So we come home, thinking we are toast  on getting the thing home.

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By the time we got home, the truck was running again and we were set. The Husband and neighbor head back down to the mall to pick it up.  I should have known it was doomed when the truck wouldn’t start.

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All is seemingly well.  They get home and the Husband pokes his head in the house and asks me to come out to the garage, where the treadmill will live.

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I walked out and triumphantly announced, “Happy Mother’s Day to me!”  The neighbor hangs his head and sheepishly says, “I am really, really, sorry.” Confused  I was like what, then I looked at the treadmill that was still in the truck.

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It was topless, the entire top console with all the buttons, speakers, display, and fan is not there.  I see some wires sticking up and that’s about it. Then the Husband starts putting pieces on the garage floor.

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What could I do? I started laughing. Our poor neighbor had a look of shock and relief on his face. I asked is everyone was alright and they assured me that yes everyone was okay There were no accidents and no husbands splattered on the freeway. So all I could do was laugh as our neighbor relived the top console of my brand new treadmill flying off of the truck and into the traffic lane on the freeway.

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He saw the whole unit shift and slowed down to about 50 mph he said. Then the next thing he knew he saw the top go airborne! He hit the breaks and told the Husband, “Ummm <Husband> I think we have a problem.”

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The husband who has been standing by silently while the neighbor tells me what happened,  finally talks to re-tell his horror of watching a few cars swerve to avoid the pieces as he then saw an 18-wheeler barreling down the freeway at close to 70mph. By some miracle of God the truck was able to swerve into the middle traffic lane and thus avoid splattering the console all over the freeway.  So the Husband was able to dodge cars and collect all of the pieces.  (we think!)

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After the shock wore off, I called Sears to request a repair visit. They transferred me to the manufacturer. I went through the registration process with the manufacturer and then the representative asked me what the problem was. The conversation went like this:

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FixItMommy: Well the whole top console fell off.

Customer Service: It just fell off.

FixItMommy: Yes, it fell off… *dramatic pause* on the freeway.

Customer Service: It fell off on the freeway *laughter*

FixItMommy: Yep. On the freeway

Customer Service: *laughter* Okay, so ….it arrived broken?

FixItMommy: Ummmm…Yes, Ma’am it arrived at my house broken.

Customer Service: Okay, so you need a new console. I am ordering that part for you now.

FixItMommy: Really?

Customer Service: WOW!  *laughter* That’s an expensive part.  It’s ordered and should arrive at your house in a few days. Is there anything else I can do for you? {Just an aside, I looked it up the part is $823, remember we paid $700 for the thing!}

FixItMommy: Ummmmmmm, no thank you. Happy Mother’s Day to you!

Customer Service: Thank you very much. Happy Mother’s Day to you to.

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We’ll see when the part arrives if I can live up to my name! I will do my best to fix it, of course the Husband will probably already be in Hawaii (again!) by the time the part gets here, so I will be on my own!